As people have become more mobile in their personal and business endeavors, as well as more dependent on computer technology, the need for portable computers has steadily increased. A wide variety of types of portable computers have been developed to meet this need, including laptop or notebook computers, sub-notebook computers, palm-type computers, hand-held computers, etc. Many laptop computers, for example, have many of the same performance characteristics of traditional desktop computers, but use a clamshell-like case that can be closed when the computer is not in use to facilitate storage and transportation of the computer.
Portable computers have an innumerable number of uses. For example, portable computers are often used during business or leisure travel, e.g., while waiting in an airport, or in a car, airplane or train. Portable computers are also useful for taking notes during meetings or classes, for giving business presentations, or just about any time a user needs to use a computer away from his or her home or office.
One drawback to many portable computers, and in particular most laptop computers, is that often these computers need to be supported on a desk or table or a similar location that positions the computer at a convenient height and location to enable a user to interact with the keyboard and/or pointing device for the computer and view the display. In many instances, however, a desk or table may not be available to the user, and the user may be forced to place the computer on his or her lap, on a chair, on a floor, or in another relatively inconvenient location. In these situations, the user often finds it much more difficult to use the computer, decreasing that user's productivity. In some circumstances, the user may choose to not even bring along the computer at all if it is anticipated that no suitable support location will be available in a given situation.
To alleviate some of these difficulties, computer supports and stands have been used in the past to support a portable computer on a support surface. For example, some laptop computers include fold-out legs that incline the rear of the computer to tilt the keyboard to a more comfortable orientation. These legs are typically only one or two inches long, and thus require the same type of support surfaces mentioned above.
In addition, computer stands have been developed to support a portable computer on a support surface such as a floor. One specific type of stand utilizes a flat plate that functions as a pedestal for supporting a portable computer on a conventional tripod. The tripod's legs may be collapsible in much the same manner as a camera tripod, with each leg having multiple elongate sections joined in a telescoping arrangement. One drawback of such a stand, however, is that the stand, when not in use, is relatively bulky and difficult to transport. And while the plate and the tripod may be removable from one another, separation of such components only presents a user with more parts to transport.
Therefore, a need continues to exist in the art for an improved manner of supporting a portable computer, particularly one that avoids the additional bulk and inconvenience associated with conventional computer supports.